512 THE INTESTINAL CANAL, BY E. KLEIN AND E. VERSON. 



is turned towards the similar concave border of the arch 

 formed by the Levatores. 



The other fibres of the upper extremity of this pars thyreo- 

 palatina, situated behind the Levatores, form in the adult 

 several loosely connected fasciculi, much interrupted by fat 

 cells, which, becoming more and more delicate towards the free 

 border of the soft palate, course partly in front of the azygos 

 uvulae between the glands of the anterior surface, and partly 

 over or behind it between the glands of the posterior surface, 

 either ending here or extending to the mucous membrane. The 

 thyreo-palatine portion of the muscle just described receives 

 reinforcing fibres from the Levatores;* and a fasciculus is 

 constantly given off laterally from these where they unite to 

 form an arch, which, subdividing, runs in front of the azygos 

 to the opposite side, and there joins the innermost bundles of 

 the pars thyreo-palatina. The whole of these fibres run out- 

 wards and downwards, descending with the arcus pharyngo- 

 palatinus, and are partly inserted in the upper angle of the 

 thyroid cartilage, and are partly united with the pars pharyngo- 

 palatinus, forming the posterior wall of the pharynx. The 

 pars pharyngo-palatina arises near the arcuate extremity of the 

 pars thyreo-palatina, and the two unite together in the arcus 

 pharyngo-palatinus, and pass to the posterior wall of the 

 pharynx. Besides what has been already stated respecting the 

 Levatores veli palati, it still remains to be observed that the 

 arcuate junction of these two muscles is situated in front of the 

 azygos uvulae, and in the anterior half of the soft palate. 



Finally, there is a small muscular fasciculus which arises from 

 the transverse fibres of the tongue, and runs in the anterior arcus 

 glosso-palatinus towards the base of the uvula, where it is 

 partly lost in the mucous membrane of its anterior surface, and 

 partly unites with the ultimate bundles of the thyreo-palatinus. 



The several fasciculi of the palatal muscles, like those of 

 the tongue and lips, form a delicate plexus. A considerable 

 quantity of adipose tissue generally enters into the structure of 

 the palate in adults, being chiefly found between the fasciculi 



* Luschka, loc. ctt., p. 483. 



